1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processors which process images of faces of characters and images representing letters or symbols.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional image processor such as an electronic notebook or a word processor, the contents of a file composed of image data indicative of a letter or a picture are edited on the display screen or stored in a predetermined storage area of a memory such as a RAM or printed by a printer, or the contents of a file stored in the memory are called out.
In order to facilitate the file processing operation in the conventional processors, a mark called an icon corresponding to a respective one of the files is displayed on a menu display screen. By employing such method, the file processing operation is performed by manipulating the display screen without inputting the title of a file composed of letters, etc., so that operability is facilitated.
For example, when a file is to be called from the memory, one of a plurality of icons on a menu screen is selected by a select cursor which moves in the display screen in accordance with a user executed manipulation. A file in the storage area corresponding to the selected icon is recalled and displayed on the screen, and edition and/or printing can then be performed.
However, in the conventional image processor, the state of the storage area can not be determined; that is, it cannot be determined whether files are stored in storage areas corresponding to the respective icons displayed on the menu screen or whether a file can be stored in a storage area. Thus, the user would often select a wrong icon by which the user tries to recall a file from a storage area where no files have been stored or to store a file in a storage area where no files can be stored. Thus, each time the user performs a wrong operation, she is required to again select an icon by selecting a menu screen, that is, she is compelled to perform a complicated operation. By selection of a wrong icon, trouble may arise in that a file may be stored in a storage area where an important file is already stored to thereby erase the important file.
Also, when the contents of a file recalled from the memory are processed on the display screen, a plurality of items to be processed are displayed as a menu display on the screen. Any desired item may then be selected by the user's inputting operation and the processing operation depending on the selected item is performed.
Also, in this case, a cursor which moves in the display screen in correspondence to the user's inputting operation is displayed and moved to a position where an item to be selected is displayed. Thus, the user recognizes the item to be selected depending on the position of the cursor and performs the subsequent operations to fix whether the item should be selected or not.
However, when the respective items displayed on the menu screen have a complicated menu structure, for example, which includes a plurality of options, the user can not understand the contents of the respective options only depending on the cursor indication. Thus, the user is bewildered about the following operation to be performed and may then commit a mistake in the operation. In the case of a beginner, she may not be able to perform the following operation at all.
Image processors such as electronic notebooks, word processors or pagers have the functions of electronically creating and displaying a portrait in the form of an illustration to provide a display screen toward which the user can feel friendly.
Those processors employ a system in which a video signal obtained by picking up the image of an actual face is received as digital image data or a system in which data on various kinds of part images which delineate the respective parts of a face such as "eyes", "nose", "mouth" or "outline" are stored beforehand in a memory and data on the images of the respective parts is selected and read from among data on those part images stored in the memory and a face image having desired looks is formed.
However, only by displaying a face image on the display screen, the image itself has no meaning. If this face image is used to inform the user of the method of operating the processor or to transmit a message which informs the user of the content of a recalled file, the message can give the user a conspicuous impression. For example, with respect to a pager, it has been proposed to display a caller's desired message in addition to a face image created as a portrait.
Only by displaying the face image and the message on the same display screen, however, a sufficient effect of rendering the message conspicuous can not be expected.
As described above, conventionally, although it has been proposed to display a message as being supplemental to the face image, it has been never considered to display a message in harmony with the displayed face image.
In addition, a message displayed usually as accompanying a face image is required to be changed depending on the sex, age, body shape, personality and expression of the character having the face image. For example, even messages having the same meaning may differ in wording depending on the sex thereof or a face image having an angry expression is required to express a message in a balloon of an angry type.